z***8
发帖数: 461 | 1 A San Jose software engineer's long winning streak in the criminal justice
system evaporated Wednesday, as a jury finally convicted him of murder after
a previous panel in 2010 failed to agree on a verdict.
This time, the jury deliberated only two days before finding Jason Cai, 53,
guilty of ambushing lawyer Xia Zhao in the parking lot of her Hamilton
Avenue office. Zhao, a 32-year-old wife and mother, was shot twice -- the
second time at such close range that the muzzle left an imprint on her chest
.
Cai now faces a minimum of 50 years to life in prison and a maximum of life
without parole when Judge David A. Cena sentences him later this year..
Nineteen months ago, Cai was tried on the same murder charge, including the
special circumstances allegation of lying in wait. But the jury deadlocked
11-1 in favor of conviction after struggling for three days with the case.
Cai has been in custody since shortly after Zhao was killed in 2008.
Cai was also tried in 2006 for the 2003 drowning of his wife, Ying Deng, in
the pool of their Cupertino home. But he wasn't convicted of that charge,
racking up his first victory against the criminal justice system. Instead,
that jury acquitted him of murder and deadlocked on manslaughter, prompting
prosecutors to dismiss the case.
The evidence in Zhao's slaying immediately pointed to Cai. He had stalked
and threatened Zhao and other lawyers in an effort to stop them from
representing his
dead wife's mother in a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit she filed against
him.
Zhao, the only lawyer in the case who spoke Cai's native language of
Mandarin, also helped the wife's family block him from inheriting her
property in China. Cai also was frustrated because the wrongful death
lawsuit prevented him from collecting on his wife's $250,000 life insurance
policy.
Zhao was so fearful of him she took pictures of him on her cell phone and
took out a life insurance policy, as well as pursued a restraining order
against him to protect herself.
The evidence against him included a videotape of a man whom prosecutors
contended closely resembled him running away from the crime scene. But Cai
had built an almost-perfect alibi for the morning and early afternoon of
July 1, 2008, forcing the prosecution to make do with a mountain of largely
circumstantial evidence.
Deputy District Attorney Brian Welch, who handled both trials, accused Cai
of rigging his computers to look like he was on them at home, in an effort
to outwit the police. Cai also went to the Sunnyvale Rod and Gun Club to
practice shooting, rendering the gun residue test he was given after his
arrest useless.
Cai was defended by renowned San Francisco lawyer Tony Serra, who argued his
client was a warm-hearted father who did tai chi and had no need of money
because he'd figured out a "magic formula'' to succeed in the stock market.
The quick resolution Wednesday after only two days of deliberations came as
a relief to Zhao's bereaved relatives, including her husband, architect
Kevin Schwarckopf. The couple had a 2-year-old son when she was slain.
The stakes in this trial were high: If the jury had deadlocked once again,
Cai could have been tried for a third time. But he might be able to persuade
a judge to let him out in the interim. | l**********r
发帖数: 4612 | 2 15M的遗产!
after
,
chest
life
【在 z***8 的大作中提到】
: A San Jose software engineer's long winning streak in the criminal justice
: system evaporated Wednesday, as a jury finally convicted him of murder after
: a previous panel in 2010 failed to agree on a verdict.
: This time, the jury deliberated only two days before finding Jason Cai, 53,
: guilty of ambushing lawyer Xia Zhao in the parking lot of her Hamilton
: Avenue office. Zhao, a 32-year-old wife and mother, was shot twice -- the
: second time at such close range that the muzzle left an imprint on her chest
: .
: Cai now faces a minimum of 50 years to life in prison and a maximum of life
: without parole when Judge David A. Cena sentences him later this year..
| q**j
发帖数: 10612 | 3 wow, this guy is brutal, but he is really, really smart.
after
,
chest
life
【在 z***8 的大作中提到】
: A San Jose software engineer's long winning streak in the criminal justice
: system evaporated Wednesday, as a jury finally convicted him of murder after
: a previous panel in 2010 failed to agree on a verdict.
: This time, the jury deliberated only two days before finding Jason Cai, 53,
: guilty of ambushing lawyer Xia Zhao in the parking lot of her Hamilton
: Avenue office. Zhao, a 32-year-old wife and mother, was shot twice -- the
: second time at such close range that the muzzle left an imprint on her chest
: .
: Cai now faces a minimum of 50 years to life in prison and a maximum of life
: without parole when Judge David A. Cena sentences him later this year..
| a****2
发帖数: 1458 | 4 所以说，钱多未必是好事
【在 l**********r 的大作中提到】
: 15M的遗产!
:
: after
: ,
: chest
: life
| g***y
发帖数: 764 | 5 why he is smart?
【在 q**j 的大作中提到】
: wow, this guy is brutal, but he is really, really smart.
:
: after
: ,
: chest
: life
| d**n
发帖数: 3172 | |
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